Abstract

Originality: An innovative ARCO system that exploits virtual and augmented reality for building virtual museum exhibitions on the Interneta first in its class that allows digital artefacts from the virtual museum exhibition to be displayed in a table-top augmented reality environment. Rigour: A large European-wide research team used software engineering methodology to develop three innovative architectural components for digital content production, content management and visualisation followed by extensive annual user trials with museum professionals evaluating the systems effectiveness. Significance/Impact: This research is now commercially licensed and the first two systems installed at the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Poznan Agricultural Museum. This research, now commercially licensed, forms part of a new research area in digital heritage systems funded by the European commission in FP5.